When
asked about reports on soldiers allegedly embracing the ideals of the
revolutionary movement, a military official dismissed it as mere “website
propaganda.” Not so easy to dismiss however is the report that last month, two
platoons of paramilitary men and two army soldiers ransacked the armory of three
detachments in Mindanao and deserted en masse.

BY
BULATLAT.COM

In
a statement sent through email, the National Democratic Front-Mindanao last week
revealed that two platoons of the Citizens Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu)
and two soldiers belonging to the Charlie Company of the 29th Infantry Battalion
(Philippine Army) left their posts and turned over to the New People’s Army
one M203 grenade launcher, two M16 rifles, two M14 rifles and five Garand
rifles.

Maj.
Gen. Cristolito Balaoing, Army’s 4th Infantry Division commander, confirmed
during an interview also last week with Bombo Radyo that the defection was real.

The
defectors reportedly complained of constant threats and physical maltreatment,
rampant corruption such as the delay or non-issuance of their military and food
supplies, delay and reduction of their salaries and allowances; and abuse
against women.

NDF-Mindanao
said the group was led by Cpl. Edward Querante and Pfc. “Boboy” Abuhasad who
expressed their grievances to the NPA against the senior officers of the Charlie
coy, 29th Infantry Battalion.

Not
the first time

NDF
Mindanao spokesperson Ka (comrade) Oris revealed this was not the first time
soldiers defected to the NPA. In July, a squad of AFP regulars reportedly
deserted from the same army company of the 29th IB, followed later by another
group of Cafgu members who have similar complaints.

He
said it proves that the AFP is “rotten from top to bottom.”

Ka
Oris also called on all “well-meaning and patriotic” soldiers and officers
of the AFP, PNP and Cafgu to join the people in exposing and opposing the
“corrupt and reactionary character” of the AFP.

“You
may coordinate your complaints openly or clandestinely with the local masses and
NPA units in the area. To those who wish to serve the interest of the people
outside the AFP service, the NPA welcomes you to its fold,” said Ka Oris.

Secret
group

Meanwhile,
the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has revealed that a secret society
of officers, soldiers and policemen have embraced their ideals and have been
covertly helping the communist movement since the 1970’s. In its Aug. 21
issue, the CPP’s official publication, Ang Bayan, described the group as
“enlightened officers and men of the AFP and police who support the national
democratic revolution.”

Martin
Montana, spokesperson of the Cordillera-based Chadli Molintas Command of the
CPP-NPA, meanwhile said the group is called Lt. Crispin Tagamolila Movement (LCTM),
named after young PMA graduate Lt. Tagamolila who defected to the NPA during the
early 1970’s.

Tagamolila,
an Army officer, trained NPA guerillas in Cagayan and Isabela provinces in
Region 2. He was later killed in an encounter with government troops and the
CPP-NPA Northeastern Luzon front was named after him.

According
to the underground publication, LCTM members have for a number of years now been
giving the NPA with invaluable information and support. The article does not
elaborate on the kind of support the alleged group gives.

Montana
enjoined other officers and men of the military and police “either to defect
to the NPA and serve the people, or join the clandestine organization in the
midst of the controversies hounding the military organization after the
celebrated Oakwood mutiny last month by junior officers.”

Military
blind on LCTM?

Armed
Forces Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Garcia acknowledged that the AFP has
received such information long ago but it was not validated. “It may not be
true,” he said.

Garcia
who headed the Northern Luzon Command based in Tarlac before he was appointed as
the second in command of the Philippine military, admitted he does not know if
the organization (if there really is) is still existing.

Army
Lt. Col. Elmer Quiros, a former intelligence office of the Philippine Army in
Region 2 where Tagamolila supposedly operated as a defector, also claimed he has
no information to validate the information.

Quiros,
who is now assigned in AFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo said the intelligence
community has no information about the clandestine organization. Bulatlat.com